“Then the electricity cut off”: How Ultra Legends qualified for the 2025 MLBB Mid-Season Cup from their car

Technical issues in esports can be very common, with tournament matches often being paused while gaming gear gets amended or server problems are sorted. 

However, in the case of Egyptian team Ultra Legends, two players had to compete in a crucial online Mobile Legends: Bang Bang match in the comfort of their own car — with no electricity.

“We were charging our phones every single game we finished,” said Ultra Legends player Mostafa ‘Darklord’ Alhassan Mahmoud Heakel in a press conference attended by Esports Insider.

The situation occurred during last month’s MPL MENA Season 7’s Lower Bracket Final between Ultra Legends and Twisted Minds, with qualification to the MLBB Mid-Season Cup, the game’s biggest international event this year, on the line. 

The season’s winner would receive a direct invite to MSC 2025, which is taking place at the Esports World Cup and features a $3m prize pool. 

The reason why Ultra Legends players Dark Lord and Mahmoud ‘Pharaoh’ Alhassan Mahmoud had to resort to competing this crucial online match in their car was due to an electricity shortage in Egypt. As a result, electricity in parts of the city where the players are based randomly shut down during game three of the series when the score was tied 1-1.

“It was so funny of a situation. We were just in draft pick, me and Pharaoh, and then the electricity cut off. But luckily, we were in the draft, so we could go in the car,” Dark Lord recalled.

“We had mobile data that was very good at this place, so we just stayed in the car and played the game. This game, especially, we played very well, and we’ve maintained our focus, and so it was a very good day.”

Despite these hurdles, Ultra Legends went on to win the match against Twisted Minds 3-2. Moreover, the team completed its Cinderella run by beating Team Falcons and getting crowned MPL MENA champions for the first time.

When asked about maintaining focus during the Twisted Minds match, team captain Mahmoud ‘RiseCrim’ Ahmed Sayed Ahmed Rawash, stated: “It was a nervous situation for everyone, so I told them, don’t focus on the outside things that are happening to us, and just focus in the game so we can win. And I believe in you guys.

“[…] Then they go to the car. So I told them and the rest of the team, it’s okay guys, we still can win this game and we still have our dreams. So we should follow it and do whatever we can.” 

Even prior to the electricity issues, Ultra Legends was already having an underdog story this season. Despite having some inexperienced players and qualifying through the MPL MENA open qualifiers, the team won MPL MENA at its first attempt.

Dark Lord noted that their journey started when one of its players, Throwboy, gathered five players together to play ranked games. 

“We were doing very well,” said Dark Lord. “So we just kept practising, playing scrims and joining a local tournament. Then we decided to participate in MPL MENA. We qualified from the qualifiers, and then we joined the regular season. We played very well. We just keep practising like this.”

The organisation also becomes the third team from Egypt to win MPL MENA, joining the likes of Thrones Esports (Season 2) and Team Occupy (Season 3).

The team’s next stop will be Saudi Arabia, where the Egyptian organisation will enter MSC 2025 as MENA’s top representative. This year’s event has expanded with a revamped format and the introduction (and reintroduction) of Vietnam and Japan representatives. 

“I have played on stage like three or four times. So I’m really excited [about MSC] and I want to compete with these good teams,” highlighted RiseCrim. 

“I know I will gain more experience than what I have and this will be good for me and for the team.”